Removable partition for gang switch boxes



Oct. 10, 1933.

REMOVABLE PARTITION FOR GANG SWITCH BOXES Filed Feb. 1, 193g 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

By 'l A TT ORNE Y.

M. L. HAAS M. L, HAAS 1,929,844

REMOVABLE PARTITION FOR GANG SWITCH BOXES Oct. 10, 1933.

Filed Feb. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EQQ A 42: i. fwas,

lNl ENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct; 10, 1933 UNITED STATES REMOVABLE PARTITION FORwGANG swrrcn BOXESQ Max L. Haas Cleveland Heights, ()hio, assignor to Bud Radio Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application February 1930. Serial No. 425,214

3 Claims. (or. 24'1- 16)' The present invention relates to' improvements in switch box construction and has reference more particularly to switch boxes that are used in interior electric light wiring for enclosing and supporting electrical switches and leads thereto; and especially in a construction in which a gang of boxes are employed, my improved partition plates being adapted for association with the gang switch boxes.

7 One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a removable partitionfor association with a switch box whereby the partition can be inserted into the box after the same has been positioned in the wallor other part of the building.

A further and important object resides inthe provision of a removable partition wherein the same is formed with a detachable section in order to accommodate boxes of different sizes and shapes. 7

A still further object resides in the provision of a removable partition for switch boxes wherein the same is provided with means for positively securing the partition in place yet permittingthe removal of the partition from the box whenever necessary'without diniculty.

A further object is to provide a removable partition for association with sectional or gang switch boxes whereby to permit wires of different voltages and live and deadwires to' be placed in the same box without any danger of the low voltage wires coming in contact with high voltage wires.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a sectional or gang switch box showing my improved partition arranged therein. I

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the partition per se showing the detachable section attached to the main body portion and the bendable ears also disposed in a vertical plane with the body portion.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a different design of switch box construction with my improved partition construction associated 1 therewith.

on the line 55 of Figure 4 looking in Figure 5 is asectional view taken approximately the direc,- tionof the arrows; and I I Figure 6 is aview' similar to 'FigureB showing the detachable section removed from the main body portion of the partition plate.

I In the drawings with referencemore particularly to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral 1 designates generally a sectional or gang switch. box, the same comprising the identical units 2 each of which is of]. substantially rectangular shape, the adjacent units being connected together in the conventional manner while the rear wall of each unit is formed with the knockout plugs 3 which close'openings through which wires may beled into the box. The cover plate that is detachably secured-across the open front face of the sectional boxis not disclosed in the drawmgs. g

-For the purpose-of dividing the sectional box 1 into individual switch boxes, I provide my improved partition plate shown generally at 4 in Figure '3. The partition plate'is of substantially rectangularconfiguration but is formed with a weakened line 5 which line has its central portion extending parallel with the forward edge of the plate while'the 'end portions of the line are disposed in an inclined manner. The weakened line 5 divides the partition plate. into a main body portion 6 and a" detachable :edge portion denoted by the numeral 7' and the purpose of this construction will be presently apparent Extending from the upper and lower edges of the body portion 6 adjacent the forward edge of the partition plate are the bendable ears 8 and 9 respectively, the upper ear 8 being formed with r a threaded opening 10 while the lowerv ear 9 is In the accompanying drawings wherein like pressed to form the conical shaped protuberance 11. These ears are adapted to be disposed laterallywhen the partition plate is assembled within the sectional box 1 but it will be observed upon referring to Figure 2 that the upper ear 8 is disposed at a slight incline whereas the lower ear 9 is disposed horizontally.

The sectional box 1 is of rectangular shape in cross section, the detachable strip 7 is not removed from the body portion 6 and the entire partition plate is inserted vertically between the adjacent units 2 and a setscrew 12is threaded through the threaded opening 10 formed in the upper ear 8 so that the pointed end of the set screw will bite. against the upper face of the adjacent unit of the sectional box 1 and at the same time, the protuberance 11 will bite into the bottom of the sec-' tional box as indicated in Figure 2. The outer straight edge of the strip '7 will abut against the rear wall of the sectional box while the upper and lower edges of the strip will also have abutting engagement with the top and bottom faces of the sectional box as clearly shown in Figure 2.

When the partition is secured in the sectional box in this manner, said box will then be divided into independent boxes and as many partitions may be employed as is desired.

Where the sectional box is of a different configuration from that shown in Figure 1 and the same is of the shape shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, wherein each unit'includes top and bottom walls 12 and 13 and a rear wall 14, the top and bottom walls and the rear wall being connected by the inclined walls 15; the inclined walls being formed with the knock-out plugs 16, the strip '7 is detached from the main body portion 6 of the partition plate so that said partition plate will be of the same general contour as the cross sectional design of thesectional box 1. Otherwise the partition plate is of the same construction and is assembled and secured within the sectional box 1 in the manner as previously described with reference to the association of the partition with the sectional box 1. 7

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a partition plate that may be used with sectionalswitch boxes of diiferent shapes and depths and by the use of my improved partition, the possibility of low voltage wires or dead wires coming in contact with high voltage wires and causing injury to the electrical apparatus will be eliminated. 7

Furthermore my improved partition can be readily and easily assembled in the box after the latter has been placed in the wall of a building and the securing means for the partition enables the same to be readily and easily removed from the box whenever necessary.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that minorchanges in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. A partition for dividing electrical outlet boxes into separate compartments, comprising a sheet of metal of a form and size to extend across and snugly fit within the larger of two standard outlet boxes of difierent sizes, said sheet having a knock off section joined to the remainder of the sheet by a line of weakness so as to be readily removable 7 sheet having a relatively small rear knock-off secfrom said remainder of the sheet to permit use of the latter for dividing the smaller of said standard outlet boxes into separate compartments, said remainder of the sheet being of a form and size to extend across and snugly. fit within said smaller outlet box, and means carried by said remainder of the sheet and engageable with opposite walls of either type of outlet box to secure the partition within the latter.

2. A partition for dividing electrical outlet boxes into separate compartments, comprising a sheet of metal of a form and size to extend across and snugly fit within the larger of two standard outlet boxes of uniform width but difierent depths, said tion joined to the remaining major forward part of the sheet by a line of weakness so as to be readily removable from said remaining major for- Ward part of the sheet to permit use of the latter.

for dividing the smaller of said standard outlet boxes into separate compartments, said remaining major forward part of the sheet being of a form and size to extend across and snugly fit withinsaid smaller outlet box, and means carried by said remaining major forward part of the sheet at opposite edges thereof and engageable with opposite walls of either type of outlet box to secure the partition within the latter.

3. A partition for dividing electrical outlet boxes into separate compartments, comprising a sheet of metal of a form and size to extend across and snugly fit within the larger of two standard outlet boxes of different sizes, said sheet havinga knock-off section joined to the remainder of the sheet by a line of weakness so as to be readily removable from said remainder of the sheet to permit use of the latter for dividing the smaller of said standard outlet boxes into separate compartments, said remainder of the sheet being of a form and size to extend across and snugly fit within said smaller outlet box, and means carried by said remainder of the sheet and engageable with opposite walls of either type of outlet box to secure the partition within the latter, said lastnamed means comprising laterally directed lugs on the opposite edges of said remainder of the sheet, and wall-impinging elements carried by said lugs, one of said wall-impinging elements being adjustable outwardly and inwardly rela- .tive to the associated lug to and from wall-impinging position. V

I MAX L. HAAS. 

